


Snowflakes

by Tayani



Series: Retail AU [1]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: Akira is a barista at Starbucks, Fluff, Goro works in retail, M/M, Retail AU, Softness, that's it that's the whole story, they're in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-11
Updated: 2018-10-11
Packaged: 2019-07-29 08:28:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,350
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16260458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tayani/pseuds/Tayani
Summary: Lectures to attend in the morning, extremely annoying work to go to in the afternoon and a walk in freezing cold to get home in the evening. By all accounts, one Akechi Goro's day should be a miserable one.But then, at least he had a handsome barista of his local Starbucks to accompany him home, and turn that miserable day into another fond memory. Akira had a superpower like that, after all.





	Snowflakes

**Author's Note:**

> This is a gift fic for Ghost! Find him on twitter [@J0KERR420](https://twitter.com/J0KERR420) and stan his amazing art with me, they're both awesome! Nick is also the author of this Retail AU which is a joy to think of and write about ^^

The store was dark, and empty, and eerily quiet.

Goro swallowed and looked around it one more time, before peering out through the glass door at the – also dark and empty – department store corridor stretching outside. He counted to three and went slowly out from behind the counter where he went to reach for his things, steps almost forcefully slow and collected as he walked towards the door, ready to lock up for the night.

The door opened, then closed. Goro ignored the rather more loud than usual breath that escaped him in relief and turned, quickly locking the store up, when he felt _something_ behind him, and then a hand resting over his shoulder…

The shriek he let out echoed throughout the corridor, together with Akira’s laughter – and then his pained grunt joined the echo when Goro smacked him, hard, with his bag.

“You _surprised me_ you _jerk_!” he shrieked, trying to calm his breathing somewhat while Akira rubbed the forming lump on his head where Goro hit him, even though he never stopped grinning.

“Surprised you, more like scared you.” the raven chuckled, looking at Goro’s still somewhat shaky hands as he went back to locking up the store. They stilled by the time he let out an indignant huff.

“I wasn’t  _scared_.”

“Right. And you shrieked like that because you’re training for the opera. With a voice this high…”

“Do you want me to hit you again?”

“What, trying to make me beg? Easy now, honey, we’re just getting to know each other.” Akira winked, and Goro wished he could stop himself from laughing.

They walked down the rest of the corridor together, keeping up the light banter. Goro let Akira decide where they went first – they did live close to each other, as came to light few months back when they decided on walking home together for the first time, but one would usually walk the other home before running off to their own apartment. The fact Akira took the quickest route to Goro’s house this time made an involuntary smile spread over the latter’s lips.

“So, how was work today? I’m guessing busy enough you didn’t even have time to get your caffeine. I was waiting for you during your break, you know. Got a cup ready and all. I even drew you a kitten to make you smile.” Akira sighed dramatically, his breath turning to steam in the chilly air. Goro wrapped his scarf tighter around himself and pulled the hat down to cover his forehead, until just the reddened tip of his nose was forced to endure the onslaught of winter before replying with a somewhat muffled huff.

“We had a bug emergency, I couldn’t get off to somewhere. Since, you know, as the only guy on the register I’m apparently qualified enough to be our resident bug killer, too.”

“It took you fifteen minutes to kill a bug?”

“…no. It took me fifteen minutes to climb over the chairs in our breakroom and reach the broom.”

Akira snorted, and Goro was this close to hitting him again.

“It was _big_ , okay?! I thought the girls overestimated its size when they told me. They. They did not.”

“Call me next time.” Akira winked, looking to the side with that amused glint in his eyes that, on anyone else, would infuriate Goro tenfold. On Akira, it just looked incredibly handsome, somehow.

“What, you’re a bug killer pro or something?”

“Well, I used to live on a café’s attic for one year in high school.” Akira shrugged, before waving away Goro’s questioning look. “Long story. Anyway, you kinda get used to all sorts of creepy crawlies living in a place like that. Call, and I’ll come save you next time, promise.”

“My hero.” Goro raised his eyebrow, but he couldn’t keep the hint of fondness from penetrating his sarcasm. Akira simply beamed back at him.

They walked together slowly; and with another smile, Goro noticed that Akira has been subtly changing their route now. They were still heading more in the direction of his house, but now they meandered about; walking in a circle around one neighbourhood, then through few more streets than they should. He didn’t say anything, only smiled more. Walking kept them both warm, after all, and in the quiet of this winter evening, Goro was more than happy to enjoy Akira’s company for a bit longer; especially since he has been so obviously wanted by his side for a while longer, himself.

“Ugh… my hands are kinda cold.” Akira mumbled just the second later, and Goro looked down in disappointment, thinking it was a hint for them to be getting straight home after all, despite earlier evidence. And yet, as he looked at Akira’s hands…

“…why are you wearing just one glove, then?”

“Ah. Why indeed.” Akira frowned, making a scene of examining his bare hand as if he saw it for the very first time. “I guess I must have lost it somewhere. What a misfortune, whatever shall I do now.”

Goro snorted out an almost disbelieving laugh; and then, with a shake of his head and a roll of his eyes, he reached out, gently taking Akira’s hand in his own, sneaking it into his coat’s pocket. He was pointedly not looking at Akira; not even when he felt these gunmetal, gentle eyes on him, not even when their fingers intertwined as if they belonged there.

They scooted close together for the rest of the walk – a necessity, both would say, considering Akira’s mysteriously disappearing glove – and hardly talked, apart from Goro doing some usual complaining about ridiculous customers he had to endure today. Akira was mostly quiet, letting him talk. It was how they both preferred it, really; and though Goro loved listening to Akira’s voice, he was grateful for these moments right after work. Whining about everything that annoyed him throughout the day always felt like squeezing out the poison, and without fail, he’d find it all not bothering him anymore once he was done.

On days – or rather, evenings like these, the sight of Goro’s apartment block was always a surprisingly unwelcome one. As they stood in front of Goro’s door, Akira finally slipped his hand out of his hold and his pocket – and Goro felt cold, even though it was fairly warm now they were out of the wind. There were more things than central heating, after all, that kept one warm and cosy…

“So… goodnight.” Akira murmured, and as Goro looked up to answer him, he felt a warm, bare hand tugging his scarf down slightly and cupping his cheek, and then Akira’s lips pressed gently against his own; chaste and sweet and making him smile as he returned the kiss. The raven pulled away and grinned, cheeks flushed pink and gunmetal eyes twinkling, and Goro made a very fast calculation in his head.

Tomorrow was national holiday. He _was_ technically supposed to use the free time to catch up on his studies, but then, he always planned to sleep in, right? Right?

“Do you…” he breathed out, before he could stop himself; watching as Akira looked at him with hesitant hope flashing in these pretty, _excessively_ pretty eyes. “Do you want to come in for a moment? I could make you coffee, for once.”

And there – that slow grin, the one that seemed to turn Akira’s already rather handsome features into something absolutely irresistible; and that twinkle in his eyes softening into something… something…

“…a coffee made by you, all just for me to judge? Wouldn’t miss it for the world.” the raven purred. Goro tried not to, but he grinned back; only to flush when he turned back to open to door and felt Akira’s chin rest on his shoulder the next second.

“…and in the morning, can I make you breakfast as a thank you?”

“…why do you think I’m inviting you?” Goro managed to say, after clearing his throat. “A free day, and I’m supposed to go on without my favourite coffee exactly how I like it? Not a chance.”

**Author's Note:**

> If you like my stories, you can find me on twitter [@mikan_writings](https://twitter.com/mikan_writings) and/or tumblr at [mikan_writings](https://mikan-writings.tumblr.com/)!


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